The iRig will steal market share in stomp pedals

iRig

Tom Dougherty, CEO – Stealing Share

12 December 2017

The iRig will steal market share in guitar industry

About a year or so ago, Stealing Share wrote a magnum opus on the guitar industry. Okay, maybe it didn’t serve as our Moby Dick moment. But it encompasses the nuts and bolts of the group. More than that, it offers ways six-stringed competitors steal market share. It focuses on guitars and avoids complementary products like stomp pedals. Otherwiise, the length and scope of would be Mellville-esque. Now, let’s tackle stomp pedals, soundscape devices players trigger by foot. I’ll be zero in on products with the potential to make them obsolete. Products like the iRig.

Traditionally, a rectangular unit houses stomp pedals. A chain links the pedals, with each pedal providing a unique voice, such as chorus, reverb, tremolo, gain, etc. The thing is, while it’s nice to have all these pedals, the prices reach exorbitant numbers.

“This seems like a sea change moment within the guitar industry. While the physical production of the iRig is nothing to write home about, its potential is limitless.”

Consider the picture to the right. Each new pedal costs at least $50. Yet boutique pedals, like the Micro vibe, begin at around $150. That’s a lot of dough. And it’s not even including the cost of the board itself (maybe another $150) and power supply.

iRig changes the stomp pedal industry

The short answer is yes. Enter the iRig and similar devices. Here, novice players (or even the pros) buy a device like iRig for $35 that plugs into the headphone port of a smartphone or tablet, connecting up to both an amplifier and guitar. Players download apps like JamUp, AmpliTube or RiotFX and select free guitar pedals. They also have the option of purchasing boutique pedals at a fraction of the cost (though the sound is exactly the same).

This seems like a sea change moment within the guitar industry. While the physical production of the iRig is nothing to write home about, its potential is limitless. As soon as a big name player in the business jumps into these waters, I predict, the world of guitar pedals will never be the same. Perhaps that moment is already upon us.

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